Fashion Sense
by raecat
Summary: Jedediah & Octavius discuss their differences - in fashion!


**Fashion Sense**

Disclaimer: I own NOTHING. Mostly. And certainly nothing here. Cookies if you catch the references!

~*~

Jedediah passed his canteen to Octavius with a grin. The two miniatures were taking a break from their nightly drive/chase with Rex. Tonight they were sitting near the Ocean exhibit.

"You ever seen the sea?"

Octavius gave him an odd look, taking a swig of the liquor. "Jedediah, you know I have never seen the sea."

Jed waved him off. "You know what I mean. Do you have any memories of it?"

"Well I suppose. Rome itself is only a few hours march from the shore. The Mediterranean is beautiful. What brought this on?" He gave the cowboy an odd look.

"Just wonderin'. I never seen it. Only the sea of sand."

"Well I have never seen your desert, except for the one here. So we are even, yes?"

"Suppose." Jedediah took another swig from the canteen, staring unseeing across the room. Octavius was growing concerned. The wild and vivacious cowboy was being unusually sullen and pensive.

"Jedediah, is something the matter?"

"Huh? Nah, just thinkin. Hey don't give me that look, I can so think!"

"You just usually don't. What are you thinking about that has you so bothered?"

"How different we are."

"Different? Is that so bad?"

"Idunno. I mean you wear a dress 'n' all." Jed grinned at the Roman, who looked properly affronted.

"It's not a dress. It's a tunic."

The cowboy gave him a weird look. "1) I thought you wore a toga and 2) you sounded just like that crazy Kahmunrah."

"Pardon? Did you just compare me to that maniac? Jedediah, I would never" Jed, hands raised, cut through Octavius' rant.

"Woah woah partner! I didn't mean it like that! When I was stuck in that hourglass, some of those black&white dudes where whispering about him wearing a dress. Which he heard and got mad in his weird goofy way and kept goin' on about how it was a tunic, not a dress. Just like you said, is all."

Seeing that Octavius still looked a bit miffed, Jedediah plowed on. "I know you wouldn't ever try to take over the world or use me as a hostage and stick me in an hour glass. I didn't mean it like that, honest." He paused, then cautiously continued, trying to change the subject. "I thought you wore a toga?"

"No, this is a tunic." Octavius pulled on his skirt *ahem* hem of the very manly tunic. "It is very practical and all Romans wore it. Do you remember Cornelius?"

Jed gave him a blank stare.

"You met him and his daughter in Rome. He's a senator."

Blank stare. Octavius sighed and translated into 'Jed speak'.

"He was the guy wrapped up in the sheet, trying to get me to marry his daughter."

"Yeah, him I remember. And his girl with the same name. What about him?"

The Roman sighed. "They don't have the same name. Firstborn daughters are named after their father. His name is Cornelius, so her name is Cornelia. If I had a daughter, her name would be Octavia."

"Oh."

Octavius was growing concerned again. Jed had spaced out a bit at the mention of Cornelia and having a daughter. He tried to bring the conversation back to one of the cowboy's favorite topics: making fun of Octavius' clothes.

"He was wearing a toga. Everyone wears a tunic, like me. And then men wrap a toga over that, while women wear a stola."

"So why don't you wear a toga?"

"Because I am a soldier. I wear this armor instead. A toga, and armor, is a sign of station. These clothes show that I am a General of the Roman Army."

"Well I can't just call you tunic-boy. That ain't gonna work!" Jed pouted, causing Octavius to roll his eyes.

"Toga-boy is fine." He sighed, accepting one of the cowboy's favorite nicknames.

"Woo!" Jed grinned, eyes lighting up.

Octavius, however, gave him a slightly evil smirk. "At least I'm not the one wearing heels."

"What? My boots? These ain't heels, they're practical!"

"Sure they are."

"They are. Keeps your feet from sliding around in the stir-up. Very unmanly to getcha foot caught. And they protect my feet, better than those lacey shoes of yours."

"My sandals are rugged and comfortable. How do you not become hot in the desert in all those clothes?" Octavius was genuinely curious about that. The cowboys wore more clothes than his men, yet always had the sun blazing down on them.

Jedediah just shrugged. "The desert is too hot even if you're in the buff. Plus it can get right chilly after dark. And all this stuff protects a feller. Hat keeps the sun and rain off the face. Bandanna, well that'll protect you from dust or get the sweat offa ya." He pulled his bandanna up over his nose and mouth to show the Roman what he meant. "Long pants and sleeves protect you from burns and brush. Gloves stave off a mighty rope burn. Chaps help when you're riding through cows and such. And mah boots, but we covered that already."

"And the vest?"

Jed grinned. "Well that's just good fashion."

~End~


End file.
